I almost bought one of his books at B&N the other day just b/c the cover was sooooo unbelievably good. Whoever is doing his art work is doing it right! Even if the books themselves sucked, it would still be appreciable to have them setting on my book shefl (if i actually had a book shelf that is.)

I just recently saw Glen Cook speak at Hypericon. He said that the same author has been doing his book covers for like eight years. He said he’s never met the guy, but he hasn’t liked any of the covers at all. He said “they have nothing to do with the books at all.” I was just wondering if he has even been in the fantasy aisle of a bookstore lately, many pale in comparison. Great writer, but kind of a depressing speaker.

Those are amazing covers. Not only do they portrey fantastic works of art for the books themself but they give the books character. The work seporates them from all others i have seen. Im not a big fan of Scifi fantasy like dungens and dragons type style of fantasy. Im a more simpler reader. Genres where authers make there own realms is not pleasing to me. When a characters name is something like dracon or agonean it gives me a sence that the auther wrote down randome gibbberish names and placed them in a hat, pulling ones at will and adding them to his already cheesy works of “writing”. Back to the point. The covers say “Welcome and enjoy the world beyond my pages” not “welcome enjoy the writing that took me a day to write”

@Aidan: He was certainly. I was excited to hear him speak; I was a big fan of the Black Company in my youth, and assumed he had a lot to say and teach to aspiring writers. But really, he wanted nothing to do with the anyone around him. He answered his questions with as little words as possible and much disinterest. I was curious why he had even come in the first place.

@Dribble: as with everything, there are both good and bad fantasy writers. Perhaps you have read some bad ones that have seemed to throw random letters together. But certainly you would not consider classic (although “made-up”) names like Eowyn & Legolas, Ged & Arha, or even Azkaban “gibberish names”. Drawing off existing sounds and words, the best made up words are meant to evoke emotions just as real ones are.

It would seem that bad writers usualy drown out the good ones. The awfully written books usualy come out with a bang. because the money put in is more then the money that will be received, only because cheap works of “art” come out with banners and front row seatings at bookstores like B&N.

but yes, point taken. emotion is a key component when dealing with the creation of characters.